Lauren Wagner of Voorhies comes to the finish to win the NJSIAA North 2 Group II girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Nicole Cassaveli of Voorhies comes in for a 2nd place finish in the NJSIAA North 2 Group II girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Madison freshman Jamie Habib comes in for a 3rd place finish and a PR during the NJSIAA North 2 Group II girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Madison freshman Jamie Habib comes in for a 3rd place finish and a PR during the NJSIAA North 2 Group II girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Madison freshman Jamie Habib comes in for a 3rd place finish and a PR during the NJSIAA North 2 Group II girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Caroline McDowell of Bernards comes into the finish in the NJSIAA North 2 Group II girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Parsippany senior Kate Bernauer comes into the finish in the NJSIAA North 2 Group II cross country championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Parsippany's Katherine Caetano comes into the finish during the NJSIAA North 2 Group II girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Warren Hills Alexa Westley comes into the finish the winner at the NJSIAA North 2 Group III girls Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Chris Romero of Voorhees comes in to win at the NJSIAA North 2 Group II boys Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Chris Romero of Voorhees comes in to win at the NJSIAA North 2 Group II boys Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Joseph Capone of Voorhees comes in for a 2nd place finish at the NJSIAA North 2 Group II boys Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Chatham's Colin Logsdon leads at the start of the NJSIAA North 2 Group III boys Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Chatham's Colin Logsdon leads at the start of the NJSIAA North 2 Group III boys Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Mendham's Jack Jennings comes into the finish during the NJSIAA North 2 Group III boys Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Mendham's Val Figueira comes into the finish during the NJSIAA North 2 Group III boys Cross Country Championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer

Mendham had indeed got the NJSIAA North 2 Group III trophy, as junior Jack Stanley and sophomore Jack Jennings finished second and fourth. The Mendham boys earned 56 points, with West Windsor North second with 68, for their first team title since a streak of four from 2008 to 2011.

Minutemen coach Roy Hamblen, who turned 62 on Saturday, called it "the best birthday present I ever got."

The Whippany Park boys defended their North 2 Group I championship, as seniors Joe Thoma, Nick Thoma and Emre Cayir finished second, third and fourth. The Wildcats girls placed fifth to move on as well.

The top five teams and top 10 individuals from each section move on to the Group Championships at Holmdel Park on Nov. 11.

"We put pressure on ourselves, because we wanted to win so badly," Joe Thoma said. "We wanted to prove to ourselves we could do it again."

Added Wildcats senior Trevor Siino, "I've been trying to tell everyone, 'Don't quit on each other.' We all dug deep today. We all made that decision to run faster."

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Chatham's Colin Logsdon, l, and Bo Raadam come into the finish during the NJSIAA North 2 Group III cross country championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey(Photo: Bob Karp/Staff Photographer)

Course knowledge was in Mendham's favor, having run the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference and Morris County Championships at the new Central Park setup over the past two weeks.

The Minutemen girls will also move on, after placing fourth in North 2 Group III. Seniors Colin Logsdon and Bo Raadam were fifth and sixth as Chatham also qualified as a team.

"We just hung with the guys in front, and see what we have for the third mile," Stanley said. "We thought they (Hopewell Valley) didn't know the last mile is all uphill. We were more ready for it. We know you've got to have something left for that last hill, not saving for it but mentally ready."

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Madison freshman Jamie Habib comes in for a third-place finish and a personal best during the NJSIAA North 2 Group II cross country championships at Central Park of Morris County. November 4, 2017. Morris Plains, New Jersey(Photo: Bob Karp/Staff Photographer)

Freshman Jamie Habib led young Madison into the Group II meet, placing third at North 2 Group II in a personal-best 18:50. Both the Dodgers boys and girls teams finished fifth to move on.

Led by senior Kate Bernauer, the Parsippany girls placed third to advance from North 2 Group II for the fifth straight year.

"I've never really been at such a high level," said Habib, whose team includes three freshmen, two sophomores, a junior and a senior, none of whom have run varsity cross country.

"It was kind of overwhelming, the amount of people who were here and how fast they were running."